Actual Madrid ahead Vinicius Jr mentioned the show of a banner highlighting Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win earlier than kick-off at Manchester Metropolis motivated him much more to win the Champions League play-off first leg.
Spain midfielder Rodri forward of the Brazil winger final October, with Actual boycotting the ceremony in Paris as a result of they felt their participant had deserved the award.
The big banner unfurled by Metropolis followers on Tuesday evening at Etihad Stadium confirmed Rodri kissing the Ballon d’Or alongside the phrases “Cease crying your coronary heart out”.
Nevertheless, a last-minute Jude Bellingham purpose ensured it was Actual who had been celebrating at full-time
“I noticed the banner,” Vinicius Jr instructed Movistar.
“At any time when the opposing followers do issues like that they provide me extra energy to have a fantastic sport and right here I’ve achieved it.”
This was the fourth successive season – and the fifth in six – that the 2 groups have met within the knockout phases of the event.
Actual received on penalties when the pair confronted off within the quarter-finals final yr and Carlo Ancelotti’s facet went on to win their fifteenth title.
“They know our historical past, all the pieces we do on this competitors,” Vinicius Jr
“It’s the fifth time we come right here, it’s all the time very chilly, however this time we’ve got received and we’ve got to proceed this.”
The 2 sides meet in Madrid within the second leg subsequent Wednesday.
Bellingham delivers extra last-gasp heroics
Bellingham memorably scored a last-minute purpose for England in opposition to Slovakia to ship their Euro 2024 last-16 match into further time, and he delivered the late heroics as soon as once more in Manchester.
“It was a giant purpose,” Actual boss Carlo Ancelotti instructed Amazon Prime.
“He performed a improbable sport and was all the time harmful. It was a prime sport for him.”
Bellingham, who has scored 11 targets in all competitions this season, added: “It was a bizarre one. We performed a few of our greatest soccer of the season and ended up behind.
“I do not care what kind Metropolis are in they’re nonetheless an unbelievable crew. It is all the time difficult to play in opposition to them and we lastly took the possibility on the finish.”
On subsequent week’s second leg, he added: “It is all the time good to take a lead again house and I am positive the Bernabeu will come by for us.
“It looks as if there may be up and downs in these knockout video games. It isn’t simply sport administration, it is tactical and it is psychological as nicely.”